Legal Update

Vladimir Kosovac vnk at mkc.co.nz
Fri Nov 16 20:56:39 UTC 2007



Jeff Spaleta wrote:
> On Nov 16, 2007 10:22 AM, Vladimir Kosovac <vnk at mkc.co.nz> wrote:
>> Apart from direct links to livna/RPM Fusion, other repos maybe, this
>> page could provide a bit more general reference to what exactly third
>> parties are hosting, by listing multi-media players, display drivers,
>> etc, rather than explicitly mentioning encumbered codecs. That ought to
>> be 'general' enough to stay in clear from a legal perspective.
> 
> No i think you are wrong. I think mentioning repository contents by
> name should be absolutely off-limits.   A sample of general categories
> of things at each listed repository possibly, but specific software
> projects absolutely not. 

Categories - right

3rd party repository sites will hopefully
> have browsable searchable listings, there's very very little point it
> attempting to make a hand-picked selection of packages in our
> description of the repository. And there's certaintly no point in
> attempting to duplicate the full list of repository offerings in a
> fedora controlled space...we'd never be as accurate as the repository
> site's own listings, unless that repository is dedicated to a single
> package like Adobe's flash plugin repository.
> 
> I think Fedora as a project and the userbase are best served if we
> limit ourselves to a statement that these repositories include
> software that does not meet the Fedora Project guidelines for
> inclusion and leave it at that.  

Agree, wholeheartedly. I guess where I'm getting at is that Fedora as a
project does so many good things that the patented codecs should safely
be treated as a side-issue and not encouraged. Providing links to
repo(s), with perhaps a bit more general info is more than Fedora
provided thus far.

However, according to the Tom Callaway's post that just came through, it
looks like more is OKed by RHL and non-free repo configs will be
possible directly from fp.o site.




If we can't leave it at that, then I
> would go as far as supporting the listing a few categories of software
> that apply to a repository if we mean to list multiple repositories.
> Dribble for example would be all about games. I wouldn't bother
> telling people which games... just that Dribble is where you should
> look if you are interested in more games.
> 
> -jef
> 
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